He's Not Perfect
by Sartmang
Summary: After the war, Sasuke and Sakura enter an awkward stage. He never treated her right, but it didn't stop her from seeing the best in him. So she pursued and pursued until she got an answer.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Denial

Helpless. That was how she began to feel shortly after the war. Despite being integral to the five nation's recovery, she could not permit herself any self-compassion as a reward.

She developed a system where one healer could help up to 20 patients with minor injuries and two healers could take in 7 patients with severe injuries. Her method was adopted by all major healers from each nation and was quickly put to use. It had saved lives, cut down on lost time, and boosted morale and poltical relations. Her name was beginning to circulate no longer as the fifth's disciple but as Konoha's top healer.

Yet she could not feel joy. The Raikage specifically held her name in honor, publicly stating that she and Shizune were excellent apprentices to the fifth. He was especially thankful for Sakura's hand in reconstrucing the Cloud nation's health procedures and updating their antidote inventory. The more praises she was given, the more she realized how hard it was to accept feelings of pride or joy.

It angered her to feel this way, as she knew the exact cause.

Sasuke.

He was not talking to her - at least not willingly. Awkward silences were normal between them, and it began drain her patience and sanity. Sakura tried in any way that she could to grab his attention. She knew he wouldn't be staying long in the village after the war. She didnt know if she would be considered important enough to be part of his life after such life changing events, but she had to try.

At times her pride would sting whenever she attempted to strike up a conversation. He would say one word replies, and would then excuse himself and leave. There was such a formal distance between them, that each word Sasuke used felt like slap in the face. Sakura couldn't help but berate herself for hoping so much. It led her to question her worth, and soon the strong ego she cultivated under the guidance of Tsunade began to wilter. What was so repulsive about her in the first place? Why was she never interesting enough - deserving enough - of something outside of Sasuke's one word responses?

But she wanted in. She so desperately wanted to be in his life through whatever means possible, so long as there was a thread of hope, a silver lining of him seeing her as someone worth loving. A man must want to acknowledge a woman who would put everything on the line for him. How can one not want someone as devoted as her? She silently chanted to herself to be strong, despite feeling heart close to giving up.

 _It just has to be me. I've done so much for him, it just has to be..._

There was just so mucb baggage with the Sasuke, she thought. There was so much pain in the way he carried himself that just watching him talk made her heart swell with affection and empathy. It was painful to swoon over someone who had hurt her this much. However, the pain she felt was only a testament to how much she cared. _This_ is love, she would herself. She ignored the voices that said that he could help himself, and that Naruto was already a driving catalyst in Sasuke's changing perspective of life. She ignored the voices, because if she listened, she'd again start to believe she wasn't worth anything, and that whatever growth he was experiencing had nothing to do with her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Pulling on Strings

Sakura was walking home after finishing her shift at the hospital when she sensed his presence a mile away. Her heart jumped as she kept walking forward, knowing he was on the way home.

He did not walk towards her. As always, she would be the one approaching him. Upon seeing his back, she stopped and waited - wondering if he simply wanted to be at that spot, and that she had coincidentally passed by.

A silence passed by before she decided to walk away without greeting him. _Today,_ she thought, _I wont initiate. It's too much.. it's too much to handle quiet rejection this time._

As she was about to continue walking, she heard his voice.

"Have dinner with me," Sasuke said gruffly, his back still facing her. Her heart lept once again. It was for sure, in Sasuke's way of communication, a date proposal.

She knew she deserved better than that, but she didnt fight for it, nor did she try to play coy. She wasn't 12 years anymore. It was the best she could get from him. She refused to believe she was desperate.

"Okay."

And so they had dinner.

* * *

Naruto noticed the awkward situation that his best friends were in, and had hoped their relationship would patch up after the war. However, he knew that Sasuke and Sakura couldn't exchange words through fists (which was Naruto's preferred method when dealing with anyone). Those two required actual talks, and unluckily for Sasuke, exposed vulnerability. It wasn't a fair relationship from the start, Naruto noted. But anyone who sought a relationship was Sasuke, platonic or romantic, was bound to get the short end of the stick. Naruto had accepted this fact long ago about his friendship with Sasuke, but he knew Sakura had always deserved better. Her happiness was dependent on her choices, he told himself. He had to respect that.

However, that didn't mean he could simply stand and watch their interactions blaze into a ball of failure. He had to do something to at least bring a conclusion to all of this.

"Sasuke," began Naruto. He had found Sasuke wandering Konoha again. Without asking, he knew that Sasuke was bound to leave in few weeks. It took Naruto years to develop personal relationships and to accept his own flaws and weaknesses. Sasuke had only just started his own journey to do the same thing - and Konoha would not be the place to find himself yet. He would certainly be back in time, but even Naruto knew that leaving was germane to Sasuke's growth. If anything, maybe Sasuke could come back and not be an asshole. _One can_ _hope_ , Naruto sighed.

And while self-discovery was important, so is keeping your bonds acknowledged and alive. Sakura deserved to know where she stood. Naruto would not be able to stand seeing her upset due to waiting in anxiety again.

"What do you want, Naruto?" Sasuke said calmly.

"It's about Sakura." Naruto took note at how Sasuke's breath would stop upon hearing her name. So the guy was stiff even if she wasn't around.

"I'm being nicer to her."

"Yeah, I forgot how shitty you were at being nice in general."

"What?"

"Look, Sasuke. I know it's been years since you've had to properly interact with people so your brain cells probably back tracked on how to be a decent human being -"

"Why are you starting to sound like Nara-"

"and -what? No, I'm not-"

"You don't use passive aggressive sarcasm.'"

"I don't even know what the hell that means- but hey! I'm talking about Sakura here!" Naruto stamped his foot in frustration. "I'm not the best at expressing myself through words either, but even I know that Sakura deserves an answer from you about her feelings - ttebayo! Kami, did you always piss me off without trying!?"

"..."

"Yeah, it's that tight-lip, stick-up-the-ass-behavior of yours that keeps her hanging, man! Be upfront and tell her how you feel already. She's waited long enough. You owe her that."

While Sasuke had finally acknowledged Naruto in a way that didn't end in bloodshed, the Uchiha heir still despised criticisms, especially when they were absolutely correct. Slight humiliation was always felt when he was in the wrong, and this was one of those times. He could feel the petulant side of him rising, and in the back of his head he saw himself turn away and ignore Naruto. However, Sasuke knew that this behavior had a history of creating animosity - which ended up with even more people bothering him. It wouldn't do. Naruto was right - but that didn't mean Sasuke had an actual answer for the pink-haired teammate.

Sasuke looked to the side and answered in the only way that he could. "I can't be what she wants me to be," he said.

"I'm pretty sure you have no idea what she wants with you to be," said Naruto with a look that seemed too empathetic for Sasuke's comfort.

"And you do?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm pretty sure all she wants is your happiness -"

"I can't promise that, damn it-"

"And if she's allowed to help you find it."

"Naruto-"

"Look, asshole. There's no expectation of you to be some hearthrob who will shower her with flowers or shit like that. She knows that you aren't that person, and she's not waiting for you to be. In fact, I think she's so desperate to be with you, that she'd even settle to have your children without even having the title of being your wife."

At this Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"I wouldnt do that to her."

"Of course you wouldn't. I'd rip off your other arm if you even tried."

"Why are we even talking about this, Naruto?" Sasuke asked, doing his best to avoid snapping. He could hear the sharpness in his tone. It wasn't Naruto's business, but a voice in the back of Sasuke's head muttered that it was Naruto's specialty to get involved in _everyone's_ business. What was worse was that Naruto was usually, if not always, spot on with calling someone out for bullshit. He knew it was being petty, but Sasuke's pride did not want to be in that spot again.

"I'm saying all this because she's hurting again."

To this Sasuke's brows rose in confusion. Again? She seemed fine throughout all their interactions.

"I didn't do anything."

"That's the _problem._ "


End file.
